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Chigi Palace
in Ariccia
The Chigi Palace is the heart of Ariccia, standing proudly at the entrance to the town. The beautiful Baroque style palace was built in 1562, then bought and renovated by the Chigi family in 1661. The Chigi Palace remained in the Chigi family until 1998 when it was acquired by the Town Council of Ariccia and converted into a museum city center. Today, you can attend events, visit the museum, and explore the palace grounds.
Project for the Piazza di Corte
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Carlo Fontana
Study of Piazza di Corte
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Bernini's Influence
The Chigi Palace was bought by the Chigi family from the Savelli family in 1661. They chose to redesign the palace in a Baroque style and hired Gian Lorenzo Bernini to do the job. Along with his collaborator, Carlo Fontana, they radically renovated and enlarged the existing palace between 1664 and 1672. Bernini's touch on the palace is evident because of the harmony between architecture, nature, and art in the Chigi Palace. Beyond the architecture, the Chigi Palace holds Baroque masterpieces within its walls, including San Giuseppe e il Bambino, a drawing by Bernini.
San Giuseppe e il Bambino
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Inside the Palace
The interior of the Chigi Palace is one of the best preserved interiors of a 17th century Italian palace. When the palace was bought by the city of Ariccia from the Chigi family, everything inside was left in its original place where it had been since the family actively lived in the palace. The original leather wallpaper is still on the walls of the bedrooms, a feature that no other 17th century palace still has. You can take a guided tour of the interior of the Noble Floor inside the Chigi Palace by reserving your tour below.
The Summer Dining Room
The Green Bedroom
The Room of Beautiful Women
The Room of the Nuns
Photos via Chigi Palace Website and JSB Students
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